Amethysts and Emeralds
by liketotescray
Summary: Previously a one-shot called A Good Friend, but now a series of slightly-unrelated one-shots! Marked as complete, though it will be updated frequently. BBRae, because... well, BBRae ;)
1. A Good Friend

**A Good Friend**

_Beast Boy reluctantly confides in Raven about something that's been bothering him._

I don't own the Teen Titans.

* * *

It was a dull, quiet evening in the Titan's Tower, for once. Almost... too quiet, actually.

Raven peeked up from over her hardback novel, her amethyst eyes scanning the common room suspiciously. Aside from herself, the couch was empty. The TV was left on, as usual - a forgettable action movie playing on mute, while the light from the screen illuminated the otherwise dark room. A half-full glass of apple juice remained on the coffee table, next to a worn game controller, which tilted haphazardly on the edge. A few stray magazines littered the floor below the windows, some partially eaten by a now absent parasite.

Raven turned her head slowly, noting that the kitchen, though cluttered with recipe books and dirty dishes, was empty as well.

The only sound in the room came from the air vents humming to life, and aside from the occasional flutter the pages of her book made, Raven found that she was for once gifted with a quiet evening to read.

Shrugging slightly, she redirected her eyes back to the small font of her book, mentally scolding herself for reading in the dark - a nasty habit of hers. Immediately being transported back to the fictional world of her novel, the half-demon didn't notice the hiss of the common room doors as they slid open, revealing a downtrodden changeling.

Instead, she found her mind captivated by the bravery of the main protagonist, who sacrificed the comfort of her secluded lifestyle to help out a good friend. Despite it being a new book, Raven already knew that the two characters were bound to fall in love, and a small fluttering in her stomach caused the nearby glass to shake ever so slightly.

Seeing her black energy encase the cup from the corner of her eye, Raven muttered her mantra under her breath, letting out a relieved sigh when the aura dissipated.

"Must be a good book, huh?"

Almost immediately, the glass was again encompassed in black, before shattering into pieces and sending the golden liquid spraying through the air.

Throwing up a small force field to shield her book, Raven's head snapped to the source of the voice who dared to interrupt her reading.

With a half-hearted smile, Beast Boy brought his hand up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Oops. Didn't mean to startle you, Rae."

Narrowing her eyes automatically, Raven swept the glass shards into a small pile with her powers. She kept her glare fixed on her green teammate as she stood from the couch, before turning her back to him and heading towards the kitchen.

Pulling out a fresh roll of paper towels, she used her powers to deposit the broken cup into the garbage, before turning back towards the dark common room. Using her powers to flip the light switch on, she watched as the room became illuminated in the harsh florescent lighting. Her eyes adjusted for a moment, before shifting back into a glare.

Beast Boy's feet were rooted to the floor as he continued smiling innocently.

"No, no - I'll clean it," Raven drawled sarcastically as she glided towards the mess. Soaking up the sticky liquid, she spared another glance at the changeling, who was being uncharacteristically quiet.

Their eyes locked briefly, before the green titan averted his gaze, instead focusing on the mess before the both of them.

Raven continued wiping away the juice, though she found that her focus remained on her silent teammate. His face was twisted into a look of discomfort, and the half-assed smile from before had vanished without a trace. His normally bright eyes were dulled by an unnameable emotion, and Raven found that she was somewhat curious as to why the boy looked so... down.

"Wait, Rae - " Beast Boy began suddenly, his eyes widening in horror, but his warning came a little too late.

Raven hissed in pain as her hand swept over a forgotten piece of glass, slicing a thin line across her palm. Pulling her hand away from the table, she gave it a distasteful look as her blood dripped onto the floor.

"Are you okay? Is it really deep? Will it need stitches?"

Raven let out a small huff of amusement as her green teammate rushed to her side, his face contorted into a look of concern. Rolling her eyes fondly, she quietly chanted her mantra as her hand became enveloped in a dark blue glow.

"I'll live," she deadpanned, watching with a bemused expression as the changeling's cheeks flushed.

"Oh, right," he laughed awkwardly, his emerald eyes fixed on the half-demon's newly healed hand. "Forgot you could do that."

Their eyes locked once more, before Beast Boy's blush intensified. Taking a step away from her, the green titan awkwardly broke eye contact and stared at the ground.

Raven felt her curiosity spike as her normally energetic teammate continued to look crestfallen. Despite being an empath, Raven tried not to invade the other's privacy by reading their emotions, but the shape-shifter's cloudy demeanor was making her reconsider that notion. She had only seen him upset a handful of times, and though she knew he had a habit of dwelling on the past, it seemed as though something new was bothering him.

"Did you want the TV?" Raven asked awkwardly, finding herself wondering why the green teen had even ventured into the room.

Beast Boy shook his head absently, his gaze still focused on the ground.

Finding his silence more irritating than his usual antics, Raven suppressed a huff of frustration.

"Then is there any particular reason as to why you're out here, making a mess?"

That seemed to finally trigger a response as his head snapped back up. With a slight glare, Beast Boy scoffed incredulously.

"Uh, _hello? _In case you didn't notice, _I _wasn't the one who shattered a glass of perfectly good apple juice with my creepy mind-powers!" he exclaimed, waving his arms in the air.

Raven let the insult slide as she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "No, but you _were _the one who appeared out of nowhere and _caused _my 'creepy mind-powers' to go out of control," she bit back, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest.

Beast Boy brushed off her accusation with the wave of his hand. "Psh, yeah. Way to take responsibility for your actions, Rae."

Feeling her curiosity and concern slowly being replaced by annoyance, Raven gave the changeling her signature glare. "This, coming from the boy who still can't do his own laundry. How old are you, again? Five?"

Returning her glare, the green titan crossed his own arms. "Ha, ha. You're hilarious."

"One of us has to be," she bit back automatically, suppressing a smirk at the offended look that flashed across her teammate's face.

He opened his mouth to retort, but apparently thought better of it. Clenching his jaw instead, he closed his eyes in frustration, before his usual cheery demeanor resurfaced.

"Whateves, Rae. I know you think I'm funny," he teased, before plopping onto the couch and propping his feet onto the clean part of the table. He paid no mind to how his foot knocked the controller onto the ground, nor to the confused expression of his empathetic teammate.

Raven found his sudden shift in moods to be bizarre, but the annoyance at his carelessness, as well as the way he turned up the volume of the TV, clouded her concern.

Carefully picking up the lone glass shard, she used her powers to gather the soaked paper towels, and began making her way back towards the kitchen. Knocking his feet off of the table in the process, she ignored his defiant "Hey!" and sauntered towards the trash can.

"I always find myself hopelessly in awe of your level of maturity, Beast Boy," she mused sarcastically, earning a snort of amusement from the green teen.

"I feel the same way about your people-skills," he retorted.

Raven felt a small smirk surface despite herself as she returned to the couch, before reclaiming her spot and opening her book. She attempted to dive back into the plot, but the feeling of her teammate's eyes on her made the task almost impossible. Giving him a sideways glance, she felt her brows arch in confusion as the changeling's eyes snapped back to the TV.

She continued to stare at him, waiting patiently for his eyes to drift back to her.

As expected, their gazes locked once more, and a fierce blush consumed his face as he looked away.

"What?" he asked with a hint of irritation in his voice as his eyes strained to focus on the screen before them.

Raven shrugged nonchalantly as she returned her attention to her book. "Nothing."

She watched in amusement from her peripheral vision as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Then why were you looking at me?" he asked in annoyance.

"You were looking at _me_."

Beast Boy stiffened slightly, but refrained from replying.

Feeling her curiosity threaten to manifest into a bout of dark energy, Raven decided to quit tiptoeing around her teammate's odd behavior.

"Why are you acting so strange?"

She set her book in her lap and patiently waited as the surprised look on Beast Boy's face faded into a look of amusement.

"What are you talking about?"

_Denial, _she sighed internally, before turning herself to face him.

"I don't need to be an empath to realize something's bothering you," she deadpanned, giving him a pointed look when he opened his mouth to interrupt her. "And there's no use lying to me, Beast Boy, because I could always _use _my empathy to prove my point."

He closed his mouth immediately, turning away from her to stare awkwardly at his lap.

Trying to rein in her impatience, Raven let out a sigh of exasperation. "So, as I said before - why are you acting so strange?"

Beast Boy hunched his shoulders forward as he pulled his knees to his chest. Resting his chin on his knees, he gave her a slight shrug.

"You wouldn't understand," he mumbled bitterly.

Feeling an odd sense of worry, Raven scooted closer to her teammate. "I can always try?" she suggested awkwardly.

Letting out a small chuckle, he gave her a sideways look. "Believe me, Rae - this isn't really up your alley."

"What makes you say that?" she questioned.

"Because!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air in frustration. "You're... you're... _you! _You're smart and mature and - and you don't have to worry about this kind of thing, 'cuz... 'cuz..." he trailed off awkwardly, avoiding her eyes once more.

"I don't have to worry about what?" she pressed, completely lost.

Beast Boy let out a shaky sigh as he curled back into himself. "You don't have to worry about this _not _happening to you - heck, it probably already _has,_" he mumbled bitterly, burying his face into his knees.

Raven furrowed her brows in confusion as she tried to decipher what the green teen was talking about. "I... I don't understand..." she began gently, watching him with concern, "_What_, exactly, has already happened? What are you talking about?"

"Kissing!" Beast Boy yelled furiously, before slapping his hand to his mouth in embarrassment as his face flushed.

Raven felt a blush of her own rise to her cheeks as she worked out what the changeling was referring to.

"You've never... You're worried you'll never..." She swallowed awkwardly, suddenly cursing herself for trying to decipher his odd behavior, "...you'll never be kissed?"

Beast Boy groaned in humiliation as he grabbed a nearby pillow and buried his face into it.

Feeling just as embarrassed as him, she tried to defuse the situation. "Why would you... What made you even think about this?"

A muffled response greeted her ears, causing Raven's eyes to narrow slightly.

"Excuse me?"

"Cyborg!" Beast Boy exclaimed, tearing his face from the cushion. "He was teasing me about it before he left for his date!"

Raven felt her brows arch as she worked out the time in her head. "He left about three hours ago, Beast Boy - you've been stressing about that this _whole _time?"

The shape-shifter merely nodded shyly as his fingers toyed with the pillow in his lap.

"Why would Cyborg tell you you'll never be kissed?" Raven asked hesitantly, feeling a little anger towards her robotic-teammate.

Beast Boy let out another sigh as he sunk into the back of the couch. "Well, he didn't say _that_, exactly... He was just making fun of how I _haven't _been kissed yet..."

Raven tilted her head in confusion at why Cyborg would feel the need to tease him about something as trivial as kissing.

"You're barely fifteen, Beast Boy - it's not the end of the world."

Instead of her words comforting the changeling, Raven watched as he brought his hands to his face in frustration.

"Exactly! I'm _fifteen_, Rae! I should have kissed dozens of girls by now!" he groaned.

Raven snorted in amusement at the lack of logic in his statement. "And what makes you think _that?_"

Beast Boy was quiet for a moment as his blush intensified. "Cyborg said so..."

Letting out a subdued laugh, Raven shook her head in amusement. "I highly doubt Cyborg has kissed more than two girls," she mused.

"That's two more than I've ever kissed..." the green titan muttered defeatedly.

Sighing fondly, Raven gave her teammate a small smile. "Well, Robin has only kissed Starfire, and that didn't happen until he was _sixteen_," she smirked.

Beast Boy seemed to perk up slightly at her statement, before giving her a fleeting look and deflating once again.

"What about... you?" he whispered shyly, avoiding her gaze.

Raven silently chanted her mantra in her head as her powers threatened to implode the couch.

"Well, I've _never_ kissed a girl," she replied dryly, earning a snort of amusement from her teammate.

"Ha ha," he smiled, rolling his eyes fondly, before slipping back into his cloudy demeanor. "I meant in general, Rae."

Both titans remained silent, and Raven noted that the longer it took for her to answer, the more distraught the changeling seemed. Steeling herself for what she was about to do, she let out a wary sigh.

"I've... I've kissed one boy," she admitted quietly.

An expression between confusion and pain flitted across Beast Boy's face as he straightened himself in his seat. Despite his earlier avoidance of eye contact, Raven found that his emerald orbs remained locked with hers as his face sunk in defeat. She wasn't sure _why _he was upset - whether it be that fact that he now believed he was the only team member to not have been kissed, or that Raven had just been kissed in general, she had no idea.

"W-who?" he stuttered nervously.

Raven felt her stomach flutter uncomfortably as she debated on what to do, before friendship overpowered logic. Leaning in quickly, she gave Beast Boy a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth, before retracting immediately and pulling her hood up.

"A good friend," she replied shyly, turning away from her dumbstruck teammate and reopening her book. Finding herself lost once more among the pages, she didn't notice the confused smile upon her teammate's face, nor the small one forming on her own lips.

* * *

I haven't done a one-shot in... like, forever! Lol

I hope this was... cute? It was weird keeping them a little younger in this, since I usually write them when they're like on the verge of adulthood lol. But whateves, haha.

Anywhoo, maybe leave a review? I'm thinking about turning this into like a series of one-shots, since I have a hard time _not _writing, though I can't think of a multi-chapter fic right now lol. Feel free to leave suggestions? :P


	2. Small Victories

**Small Victories **

_Sometimes there's a fine line between winning and losing._

I no own Teen Titans ;)

* * *

Raven was fairly certain that the universe was out to get her. Whether it be some sick, cruel, twisted form of punishment due to her demonic heritage, or just rotten luck, she'd never know. But it seemed, every day, _without fail_, she'd somehow find herself in the same compromising position. With the same irritating teammate.

"It's not like you _own _the roof, Rae."

Closing her eyes in frustration, Raven gently lowered herself onto the ground, sitting cross-legged on the edge of the tower, her hands folded neatly in her lap. With her back facing the source of her problem, she opened her eyes slowly, catching the last rays of the setting sun as it dipped below the horizon.

"I never claimed I did." Focusing on the distant waves of the bay, she breathed in the salty air as she waited for his reply.

"Well, you sure _act _like it!"

She mouthed along to his response, punctuating it with an eye roll, before carrying on with their usual routine.

"I've done nothing of that sort, Beast Boy."

The green titan gritted his teeth in frustration as he attempted to mentally strangle his teammate. He'd be lying if he said that dealing with the empath was easy, but it was a challenge he willfully accepted. For some idiotic reason.

"Yeah, well, heaving a big old sigh every time you hear the door open isn't exactly the most welcoming response," he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Biting back a growl of frustration, he watched as the half-demon's shoulders lifted, before hearing the cursed sound of her exhaling as they relaxed once more.

"I'm just mentally preparing myself for what _follows _the door's opening," Raven deadpanned, unclasping her hands and pulling her cloak tighter around her. Her hood threatened to fly back as a strong breeze assaulted her, but she quickly caught it.

Beast Boy huffed angrily as he watched his teammate stubbornly ignore the wind in order to hold her ground. In all honesty, he had forgotten his excuse for coming up to the roof, but he'd be damned if he let her win.

"Maybe I was just coming up for some fresh air - and _not _to 'bother' you," he scoffed, hugging himself tighter as the autumn breeze sent a chill up his spine.

"Don't kid yourself, Beast Boy," the empath replied with a dry laugh. "You're always game to bother me."

Feeling his face flush in what he hoped was anger, the changeling stalked over to where his teammate sat.

"Riiiight. Yeah, Rae - I_ totally_ plan my day around bugging you! 'Cuz, you know, you're always _soooo _much fun to be around," he mused sarcastically, before plopping down beside her. Swinging his feet off the edge of the roof, he attempted to sneak a glance at her, only to find her dreaded hood blocking his view. Cursing silently, he redirected his gaze towards the fading light on the horizon.

Raven ignored his close proximity as she shifted her gaze upwards. Despite the lights from the city behind them, she was able to spot several constellations in the darkening sky.

"_Something _about my company has seemed to spark your interest - otherwise you wouldn't feel the need to pester me every night," she drawled, her eyes tracing the big dipper absently.

Beast Boy huffed in exasperation, sparing another glance at his infuriating teammate. He was able to catch a quick peek of her mouth, which was quirked in what he assumed to be a triumphant smirk.

Seeing her so seemingly pleased with her analysis of him caused his blood to boil. Acting on impulse, he took hold of her hood and yanked it off of her head. He felt a devious smile of his own form as he soaked in the look of shock on her usually stoic face.

Raven stared incredulously at the green teen before her, finding herself at a loss for words. Sure, the changeling had done stupid things before, but this - this was on a whole new level.

"Do you _want _me to eradicate your existence?" she growled, her wide-eyes narrowing into a fierce glare.

But instead of fear, the empath felt a suspiciously prideful feeling radiate off of the grinning shape-shifter.

"I don't know what that means," he replied with a shrug, the smug smile still present on his face, "but Robin said you'd get extra dish-duty if you throw me off the roof again."

Raven tried to stifle an inhuman growl as she remembered their leader's warning.

"I seem to recall that conversation had also included a month's worth of bathroom duty for the idiot who dared to push me to that point."

Beast Boy shrugged in nonchalance as his eyes searched for the most minuscule amount of emotion on the half-demon's face. He may have had a bit of an unhealthy obsession with getting a rise out of the heroine, but it really wasn't his fault. If Raven willfully showed her emotions, he wouldn't have to annoy it out of her.

Raven huffed in frustration as she reached for her hood, but she barely managed to slip it back on when the changeling pulled it down once more.

"Beast Boy!" she exclaimed, reluctantly finding his obvious death wish a tad bit amusing. She wasn't sure why the green titan was so adamant on pestering her to the point of committing homicide. "I swear to god..." she warned.

Beast Boy heaved a weary sigh as he attempted to suppress a smile. Slipping into an oddly comfortable silence, both titans continued gazing out at the ocean before them.

Raven didn't even attempt to pull her hood back up, instead letting her hair blow freely in the light breeze. She was starting to get used to the cold, which was usually her sign for retreating back to the tower, but she couldn't very well let Beast Boy win.

What the prize was, she hadn't a clue. It was just a routine that both of their stubborn personalities caused them to go through every night. She was proud of herself for never losing, but at the same time, she had never really won either.

But unknown to the empath, Beast Boy considered every night to be a small victory for him. If he managed to stay dry, in this dimension, and with his ego still intact, it was quite the accomplishment. He had a morbid fascination with pushing her to the edge, but it seemed he was able to push a little further every night. And he considered that progress.

Sneaking a glance at her, he idly wondered _why _he was so entranced by her. He knew that her reaction alone was enough to keep him entertained, but there was something more. Sure, he had a bit of an idea of what that _more _was, but he couldn't really explore that thought with her sitting right beside him. After all, progress meant _not _being tossed into the bay.

Plus, he had already acknowledged that he was somewhat _attracted _to her; in the physical sense, at least. He'd have to be blind not to think his teammate was cute. But from an objective standpoint, _all _of the titans were blessed with good genes. Hell, basically all _heroes. _So finding the half-demon pretty wasn't really a big deal. _  
_

And yet... there was something more that he couldn't quite understand. Something more than a simple, friendly acknowledgement of her good looks. He had talked to many cute girls before - teased, flirted, the whole nine yards. But with Raven... it was different.

Raven could feel Beast Boy's eyes on her as she remained focused on the horizon. Judging by the confusion she felt pour off of him, he was most likely examining his feelings for her. And despite him not knowing what _he_ felt, she had a pretty good idea.

It was mild; the feelings. Similar to how Robin had felt around Starfire for the first couple months they all lived together. Confusion, denial, contentment, and sometimes anger. It was the simple formula of a budding crush.

And sure, she could snip it in the bud and carry on with her life, but she was finding that the longer she let it go on, the less it bothered her. Really, it was _Beast Boy_, for crying out loud. The kid had a new celebrity crush every week. He flirted with anything that smelled nice and giggled at his jokes - he'd most likely get over it on his own.

But until then, Raven would just have to tread carefully around him. She couldn't give him any incentive to pursue her, though that wasn't very hard for her. She was an expert at pushing people away, so leading him on probably wouldn't be a problem. Plus, she was hopelessly lost when it came to flirting, anyway.

Not that she had ever really _tried _to flirt - and _especially _not with Beast Boy. The idea itself was _completely _absurd.

Feeling the wind pick up, Raven dared a glance at her teammate. Though she knew it was coming, the locking of their gazes still made her stomach churn uncomfortably.

Beast Boy held his stare for a moment, before his eyes darted back to the bay. He didn't want to make his slight ogling of her totally obvious, and yet he couldn't bring himself to brush it off with a convincing amount of nonchalance. He hated retreating, but he didn't see any other option.

"Not that this hasn't been - "

"I think I'm gonna - "

Both titans gave each other a bemused look, unsure of who should speak first.

Taking initiative, Beast Boy gave the empath a cheeky smile. "I think I'm gonna head back in," he laughed, before pulling himself to his feet. "You don't plan on freezing out here, do you?"

Raven snorted in amusement as the green teen reached his hand towards her, in what she assumed to be a peace-offering. Gently placing her own hand in his, she allowed him to help her to her feet.

"Freezing to death isn't on my agenda, no," she deadpanned, slowly pulling her hand from his. She could detect the faintest of blushes rising to his cheeks, though she attempted to pay no mind to it. Nor did she acknowledge the flustered and confused feelings pouring off of him, or the way his eyes lingered on hers for a moment too long.

She also decided to ignore her own lingering gaze as her eyes swept across his face, before focusing on the roof's exit.

Beast Boy silently followed his teammate to the door, jumping ahead in time to open it for her. Bowing dramatically, he motioned for her to go first, earning an exaggerated eye roll for his chivalry.

But he also earned a small, barely-there smile, which she hid quickly by pulling her hood back on and passing him. Beast Boy couldn't stop himself from grinning as he followed behind her, sparing one last glance at the rooftop, suddenly remembering why he went up there every night.

* * *

So obviously, I've decided to make this my random one-shot dump! Yay?

Haha thank you for the reviews and favorites! Hopefully me continuing this is seen as a good thing? :P

And thank you for the suggestions, whether you left them in a review or PMed me! I will try to incorporate them all!

Leave some more? Or just review? :D


	3. Playing Doctor

**Playing Doctor**

_Cyborg isn't the only one who's allowed to play doctor in the tower, but Beast Boy is pretty sure Raven isn't a licensed professional._

Soooo the Teen Titans would probably hate me if I owned them lol

* * *

Beast Boy was attacked by another coughing fit as he sat helplessly in the med-bay. His throat felt like sandpaper, and even the simple task of swallowing sent him on a journey to hell. As he glanced around the nearly empty room, he felt his head spin. Lying back down on the bed, he tried to block out the harsh lighting of the room by laying his arm over his eyes, while waiting somewhat impatiently for a teammate to check on him.

Cyborg, as usual, had been appointed the team's makeshift doctor, but after giving the changeling a little bit of cough syrup and a few aspirins, he was called over to the Titans East tower, which was apparently having "technical difficulties". Though the whole team was well aware of the fact that Bumble Bee just _happened _to be the only one experimenting the strangely specific power-outages, and the half-robot just _happened _to be the only person who knew how to fix them.

But the robotic titan would never leave a sick teammate unattended, so he was bound to have put someone on watch. Beast Boy just wasn't sure _who. _

Starfire would have been the green teen's first pick - the alien was notorious for babying everything, and was incredibly accommodating. The only downsides were the cuisine and lullabies.

Robin would come at a close second - but only because he'd give Beast Boy what he needed and be on his way. The leader had a thing about germs, and avoided sick people like the plague. Or like they _had _the plague, and not just a sore throat.

But Raven would definitely be Beast Boy's last choice; like, _very _last choice. Like, he'd rather _die. _

Don't get him wrong, he cared for the empath dearly. She was a teammate; a comrade. Somebody he'd die for. But she sucked at playing doctor.

Sure, she could heal injuries, mend broken bones, and practically bring people back from the brink of death. Colds, stomach aches and sore throats, on the other hand - well, she couldn't even make soup. She was hopelessly lost when it came to curing sickness, and absolutely horrible at cheering people up. If she was the one Cyborg had left in charge, then the changeling might as well start on his will - if the scathing remarks didn't kill him, he was pretty sure anything she cooked for him would.

Hearing the doors swish open, Beast Boy peeked out from under his arm, only to let out a defeated sigh. Walking towards him, with her nose buried in a book, was none other than the half-demon herself.

"Feeling better?" she deadpanned, not even giving him a glance as she turned the page.

Beast Boy tried not to let his disappointment show as his arm flopped back over his eyes. "Yeah, actually. I'm just - " but his words were cut off by another fit of coughing, causing the changeling to sit up as he covered his mouth with one hand and reached for his medicine with the other.

Not even taking her eyes off of her novel, Raven pushed the cough syrup into her teammate's reach with her powers.

Beast Boy tried to thank her, but all he was able to do was wheeze for air as he poured himself a cap-full of the sticky blue liquid.

"Need anything?" his pale teammate asked idly, finally gracing him with her acknowledgement as she lowered her book.

Swallowing down the blue goo, the changeling shook his head. The absolute _last _thing he needed was, well, _anything_ from Raven. Except maybe respect. Or for her to laugh at his jokes. Actually, he could think of a lot of things he'd like the empath to do for him, but none of them involved taking care of him. And not because he wouldn't want the attention - she was just so freaking bad at it. _  
_

"Mmm hmm," she hummed absently, giving his sickly appearance an incredulous look. Beast Boy could only imagine what he looked like - his skin was probably a pale green, his eyes were most likely red from the tears his coughing caused, and his face was undoubtedly sunken in discomfort. Like, _totally _attractive, in other words.

"You look terrible." Ah, yes, there was the comforting words he was hoping for. Raven continued to stare at him quizzically, as if she just realized he was actually sick.

"Thanks, Rae." The sarcasm he was hoping to convey seemed to have gotten lost in translation as he burst into another bout of coughing. Several seconds later, his breathing returned to normal, and he was able to blink away his tears as he watched Raven tilt her head in thought.

"You sound terrible, too," she mused, before leaning towards him.

Beast Boy prayed to every deity he could think of that his nose wasn't running as her face neared his. He was able to faintly smell the scent of her shampoo as her hair swished into her face, before she tucked it behind her ear. In an attempt to breathe in the sweet smell, he accidentally made an obnoxious sniffing sound, causing Raven to back off with a un-amused expression.

"Can you even breathe out of that thing?" she asked skeptically, causing Beast Boy to sniff self-consciously.

"Kinda..."

Raven rolled her eyes at his response, before leaning in once more. Beast Boy held his breath as her hand came up to his throat, and he found himself wondering if she was about to take the opportunity to kill him. After all, the cameras in the med-bay were conveniently offline at the moment, and she could always blame his death on his sickness. Robin would believe her instantly, since germs were the enemy (besides Slade, of course), and Cyborg and Starfire would be too upset to fact-check her story. Raven was an evil genius.

As the empath's hand began feeling around his neck, Beast Boy couldn't hold himself back any longer.

"Please don't kill me!" he shrieked, before coughing in pain as his throat tore itself apart. Raven quickly backed away with a disgusted look on her face as she wiped her cheek.

"Cover your mouth!" she scolded, before giving the back of her hand a look of contempt. "If I get sick because of you, I swear..."

"What?" the green teen managed to snap between coughs, "You'll raise me from the dead and _kill _me again?!"

Raven let out a huff of frustration as she sat down beside him on the bed. He felt an odd feeling swell in his stomach at their proximity, but tried to shake it off. After all, she was about to murder him - it'd be strange if the thought made him anything but uncomfortable.

"I wasn't trying to kill you, idiot" she deadpanned, giving him an annoyed look. "I was trying to see if your glands were swollen. Which they _are_, by the way."

At her confession, Beast Boy felt a bout of panic wash over him. "What does that mean? Am I dying?!"

He could see Raven suck in a breath through her teeth as she closed her eyes. Pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration, she stood from the bed and headed towards the exit.

"Where are you going?" he called after her, his voice hoarse and his confusion clouding his worry.

"I'll be right back," she muttered as she slipped through the door. Beast Boy listened to the swish of her cloak and the tap of her footsteps, until the noise faded to a murmur. Sighing in exasperation as he lied back down, he idly wondered if he was being a little too dramatic.

Shifting his gaze from the doorway to his bed, his eyes traced the seams of the white sheets in an attempt to alleviate his boredom. Had Robin been left to care for him, the changeling would probably have a small TV to watch.

But nope; he was stuck with Raven.

She returned a few minutes later, carrying a steaming mug of what smelt like tea - though Beast Boy's nose wasn't functioning on its highest setting at the moment. But regardless, he could smell the grassy scent mixing with honey and lemon.

"Wow, Rae - making yourself a cup of tea is _totally _gonna help me," he drawled sarcastically. "I'm sure my swollen glands will just cure right up!"

Raven gave him her signature glare as she neared him, tentatively blowing across the liquid. She reclaimed her seat on the edge of the shape-shifter's bed, again causing a swirl of unexplainable emotions within his stomach.

"It's for _you_, genius."

Beast Boy quirked his eyebrow quizzically at her reply. "Huh?"

He watched as she suppressed what he assumed to be a frustrated growl, before turning herself to face him better.

"Sit up," she demanded.

Complying immediately, the green titan propped himself up on his elbows, still regarding her skeptically. She gave him an annoyed look, before bringing the mug to his lips.

"Now _drink_ it," she ordered, her tone nothing short of patronizing. Feeling as if his masculinity was being compromised, Beast Boy gave her the most logical response.

"No way! That stuff is nasty!"

He could tell she was on her last nerve, but he couldn't find the sense to listen to her. She was completely insane if she thought Beast Boy would willfully drink her poison.

"You've never even drank it before!" she huffed irritably, scooting closer to him as she shoved the cup in his face. "Just drink it. It'll help."

Again, logic eluded Beast Boy as he shook his head in protest, sitting up all the way and retreating towards his head-board. "No!"

"_Yes!_"

Raven again forced the mug towards his mouth, and, predictably, the changeling attempted to evade it by knocking it away from him, resulting in the semi-scalding liquid spilling across his chest.

Now, this wouldn't have been a problem, if he had been wearing his uniform. But, as luck would have it, the shape-shifter wasn't too fond of suffering in the skin-tight contraption when he was feeling under the weather. Therefore, he had changed into something less constricting - a plain white t-shirt and grey sweats.

Because of this, his white tee was now stained brown, and the thin material did next to nothing as the hot drink made contact with his skin.

Hissing in pain, Beast Boy triggered another coughing fit, his pain doubling tenfold. Raven quickly set the half-full cup of tea on the bed side table as she tried to calm her teammate down.

"Stop moving, Beast Boy! I can heal yo- _Ow! _Knock it off!"

Beast Boy's coughing subsided as he frantically patted down his shirt, as if putting out actual flames. With his throat tearing apart, his head pounding, his chest burning, and his stomach fluttering spastically as his female teammate hovered over him, he realized that he had never been so uncomfortable in his life. He watched in horror as Raven took initiative and began removing his shirt, causing his cheeks to flush furiously.

"W-what are you - "

"Can you shut up for just one second!" she hissed, shoving her hands under his shirt and pressing them against his burns. He was about to cry out in pain, until the soothing feeling of her healing powers began to take effect. As his burns dulled into a slight throb, he allowed himself to enjoy the strangely satisfying feeling of his teammate pressed against him.

He had never been this close to her for this long, and he was really regretting all his missed opportunities. He had never noticed the wrinkle between her brows when she concentrated, nor the way her teeth chewed on her bottom lip. He had also never paid attention to how _purple _her eyes were - something you didn't see everyday.

But with that thought, he realized she was now looking back at him with a bewildered expression.

Raven quickly removed her hands from his chest and scooted a reasonable distance away from him, before her look of confusion shifted into a look of annoyance.

As her eyes narrowed, he opened his mouth in an attempt to ease some of the tension, but she quickly cut him off.

"Just drink the damn tea."

With that, she stood from the bed, swiped her book off of the table, and exited the room.

Beast Boy gulped nervously, cringing at the action, before glancing over at the half-spilled tea. Shrugging nonchalantly, he took the mug from the table and gave it a tentative sniff.

When he detected no poison, he brought the liquid to his lips and took a small sip, pleasantly surprised at the sweet taste, and finding the hot drink soothing against his sore throat.

Smiling contently, he took a larger gulp, only to trigger another bout of coughing.

* * *

Raven breathed in a weary sigh as she neared her bedroom. She hadn't realized that taking care of Beast Boy for a few hours could be so taxing on her mental state. Nor had she realized that the green teen was hiding such firm pecks under his uniform.

Feeling her stomach flutter uncomfortably, she shook away those thoughts as she entered her room, deciding that a few hours of meditation was beyond necessary.

* * *

I need to try to write something serious for once lol. Maybe next time haha!

Anywhoo, hope this was enjoyable! Leave a review? :P


	4. Unwanted Instincts

**Unwanted Instincts**

_Raven deals with a part of her she isn't too fond of, and finds that she has a lot more in common with Beast Boy than she thought. Too bad she'll never admit to it._

I _aspire_ to own the Teen Titans... one day

* * *

Raven didn't pride herself on many things. She excelled at modesty, or rather, _indifference_, and it was unheard of to hear her brag. When it came to being humble, she was an expert. She merely acknowledged her above-average intelligence, sense of humility, and overall well-roundedness. Those traits didn't define her; she refused to let herself be labeled. She didn't put herself above anyone else, nor did she need bragging rights.

But being the most punctual titan was the only exception, and Raven went above and beyond to keep the title. So when an early morning mission interfered with her own personal schedule, no one could really blame her for being upset.

Being a superhero was a great gig. She enjoyed the rush of adrenaline, as well as the feeling of helping others. Saving lives was something she loved to do - despite her less-than-heroic heritage. Being a half-demon was less thrilling. Aside from the altered appearance and unbidden rage, she had a plethora of smaller - _but just as dangerous_ - traits to deal with.

Blood lust being the main problem.

But thankfully, Raven had several people looking out for her - one of them being a certain half-robot with a knack for dealing with anything medical-related. So when he heard about the empath's _problem_, he quickly came up with a solution in the form of a small pill. A pill she took every morning, after her shower.

So when Control Freak decided that the crack of dawn was the perfect time for the city's streetlamps to come alive and start attacking cars, Raven's usual routine was compromised.

The titans dealt with the villain promptly, causing only minimal damage, and were able to return to the tower a mere two hours later. But that was two hours past the time Raven usually took her medication, creating one irritable half-demon, who wasn't in the mood for anything idiot-related. Which really meant anything Beast Boy-related.

Fortunately, her demonic side's thirst for blood wasn't _completely _overpowering, and she could probably go several days without her pill and _not_ maim anybody. It was really only the thought of her schedule being compromised that pissed her off. She enjoyed taking her medication in the morning, when the others were still asleep.

But because everyone was awake, the task of sneaking off to the med-bay unnoticed was rendered impossible. Especially since a certain changeling was prescribed with a similar medication. And this certain changeling wasn't familiar with the term modesty, and prided himself on riling the poor girl up. So naturally, when Raven slipped out of the common room, she wasn't surprised to sense the green teen's curiosity follow.

It wasn't like Beast Boy _didn't _know about her... problem. The whole team knew. But Raven didn't like showing any kind of weakness, and relying on a little pill to keep her humanity in check wasn't something she liked to advertise. But of course, Beast Boy didn't care.

"Fancy seeing you here."

Raven suppressed an exasperated sigh as she entered the med-bay, only to be greeted by the changeling. He was sitting on the counter beside the sink, his head resting against the cabinet and a glass of water in his hands. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Raven found she was less concerned with how the shape-shifter beat her to the room, and more concerned with the fact that she couldn't use "not-taking-her-medication-yet" as an excuse to kill him.

Also, seeing that the green teen had taken the liberty of pouring her a glass of water and setting out her pill didn't sit well with her either.

"I told you not to touch my stuff," she deadpanned, steeling her reserves and making her way towards the counter.

Beast Boy merely grinned sheepishly, before popping his own pill in his mouth and gulping down his water.

"Thought I was being nice," he replied with a smirk. Casually slipping off the counter, he landed on the linoleum floor with a thud.

Raven decided to ignore his existence as she dry-swallowed her pill, not trusting the water the changeling had set out for her. Cringing as the capsule slithered down her throat, she attempted to make a hasty exit, but found her teammate blocking her path.

"Move," she demanded dryly, not at all up for dealing with his antics.

Beast Boy shook his head curtly, giving her an understanding smile.

"You know, it's nothing to be ashamed of," he assured, setting his hand on her shoulder.

Shrugging him off, Raven sent him her signature glare. "I'm not ashamed of anything."

"And it's not like you're the only one taking them," he continued as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I mean, I totally know what you're going through, and if you ever -"

"_Hmm_," Raven scoffed incredulously, interrupting her teammate. Crossing her arms defiantly, she gave the green teen a pointed look. "You have _no _idea."

Beast Boy's smile quickly faded, and Raven could sense a mixture of annoyance and hurt radiate off of him.

"Uh, _yeah_, I _do_," he snapped, mirroring her stance as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I know _exactly _what you're dealing with, Rae."

"Oh, really?" Cocking her head to the side, Raven gave her teammate an un-amused smirk. Not only was he blocking her way; he had the gall to act like he had any idea what it was like to basically be half-evil. "_You _have to control yourself to the point of practically developing multiple personalities because _your _emotions wreak havoc when let out? _You _have to fight the constant urge to maim or kill anybody you come in contact with because of _your _heritage? A part of _you _actually enjoys seeing other people in pain, despite the rest of you trying to help?"

Raven watched as Beast Boy opened his mouth to respond, but she quickly cut him off, feeling the sudden need to vent out her frustrations.

"_You _have _no _idea what it's like being a _demon_," she sneered. "All _you _have to worry about is managing your instincts - which can be controlled with a quick flight around the tower or digging a hole in the backyard. _I _have _real _problems."

She made a move to pass him, but her eyes widened in surprise as his arm blocked her path, before pulling her back around to face him. Raven tried not to let her nervousness show as she as she met his glare with a steady one of her own.

"Wow, Raven - you're absolutely right!" he snapped, stepping closer to her. "I _never _have to deal with _anything _like that!"

Raven attempted to hold her ground, but the pure anger she felt from him was enough to make her take a step back.

Beast Boy quickly closed the space as he continued. "I mean, it must be so hard for you! It's not like _I _have the entire animal kingdom scratching away at my sanity!"

Raven swallowed nervously, feeling a little wary of her teammate. Though she knew he'd never hurt her, she had never seen him so angry - angry at _her._

"Like, I _totally_ don't salivate at the smell of blood, or imagine the taste of a fresh kill -_ human_ or otherwise. I _never_ have to remind myself to keep control when I shift into an animal, or stay sane when I'm a human again. I don't _ever_ feel the need to mark my territory, or show my dominance over anybody of authority."

Raven continued backing away from him, until she felt her back hit the counter top. But it seemed to have no effect as the changeling closed the distance once more. She watched as his nostrils flared and his eyes darted between hers. His breathing was heavy as he searched for something to say, causing Raven to suddenly feel a little claustrophobic.

"I _never_ have to worry about hurting my friends," he mumbled, his anger slowly fading as he tentatively began reaching towards her face.

Raven braced herself against the counter as she leaned away from him, but she found that she couldn't escape as his fingers gently stroked her cheek. She wasn't necessarily scared of _him_, but more of what he was _doing. _

Beast Boy's hand brushed against her cheekbone once more, before sweeping a few stray hairs out of her face and tucking them behind her ear.

"I _never_ have to worry about hurting _you._" His voice was merely a whisper, and Raven almost couldn't hear it over the sound of her beating heart. She realized she must have hit a sore spot - Beast Boy was already scared of becoming a monster, and her brushing off his problems definitely wasn't helping. She knew that he struggled with his instincts just as much as she struggled with hers - maybe even _more _so.

"You _didn't_ hurt me," she breathed, finding her voice to be a little too soft for her liking. "Y-you wouldn't ever."

Beast Boy bowed his head dejectedly, letting his arms fall loosely at his sides. He sucked in a shuddering breath, before exhaling slowly. "I-I can't be sure, Rae... I... The medication doesn't stop me from _feeling_ these feelings; it just helps me not to _act _on them..."

"I know how it works, Beast Boy," she replied soothingly, idly wondering why she was the designated voice of reason. Hadn't she been pissed off five minutes ago? Why the hell was she comforting him? "I... I _know_."

Beast Boy's eyes locked with hers once more, and she wanted to cry out at his defeated look. But she remained calm, not letting any stray emotion escape in the form of her powers. Despite her earlier rant on control, she had been doing an excellent job at keeping her powers in check.

"I d-don't think you do," he replied quietly, causing Raven's heart to speed up once more. "It's different for me, Rae... I _feel _different, a-about... about..." he trailed off timidly as his eyes swept towards the ground once more.

Raven had an idea of what he was going to say, and she'd be lying if she said it didn't scare her. The mere thought of what he attempted to confess caused her stomach to twist and her face to flush.

Beast Boy opened his mouth once more, but she quickly cut him off by pressing her finger against his lips.

"I _know_, Beast Boy," she whispered, feeling her heart break as his eyes clouded over in despair. She didn't _want _him to feel that way - she wasn't sure what would happen.

"Oh." He let out a shaky breath as her words sunk in, and Raven couldn't help but feel entirely responsible for the pained look in his eyes. She didn't deserve what he felt for her. It wasn't his fault she was an emotionless ticking time-bomb. If she could feel freely, without her powers going haywire, then maybe everything would be different. If she wasn't a blood-thirsty demon with barely an ounce of control, maybe she'd feel the same way. If her deep-rooted instincts filled with malice didn't exist, then maybe they could do something about their feelings.

But she was still everything she didn't want to be, and Beast Boy was still too good for her. And a pill taken once a day couldn't change the fact that she was a demon, and that demons felt nothing but hate.

Because like he had said before; the medication didn't stop her from _feeling _her feelings - it just stopped her from _acting _on them.

* * *

I... _think _this was serious? Lol

So I'm probably gonna use these one-shots as a way to branch out of my comfort zone, so please bear with me. I feel like I do best in humor, which is kinda weird for me since I _try _to be a serious person, but I really want to dabble in all sorts of (BBRae-related) genres, just to get a better feel for writing... since I aspire to be a writer of some sort lol. Hey, maybe one day you guys will have to _buy _my (non BBRae-related) stories? :P_  
_

Anywhoo, leave a review? Constructive criticism is welcomed, though I prefer it to be done politely. I can handle criticism and complaints for the most part (I work retail lmao), but unnecessary harshness is never fun to deal with lol


	5. Rain (Part One)

**Rain**

_Rain is a beautiful thing. And so is love._

I accept payment in the form of the rights to the Teen Titans. Or cash.

* * *

Everything about that morning was a blur, but Beast Boy was sure of one thing specifically; it had been raining.

And not your usual light drizzle - oh no, it was _pouring. _The sky was the gloomiest grey imaginable, and the wind howled louder than any Tamaranean folk song Starfire had ever sung. Each individual droplet of water was the size of a marble, and they all blended together to ensure that any fool who wandered outside would be drenched in mere seconds. It came in sideways, splashing across the tower's windows like blood in a slasher film, and the roaring sound of the thunder was nearly drowned out by the furious pounding on the roof.

Lightening bounced from cloud to cloud, illuminating the dreary sky every couple of minutes, while Jump City's power flickered in accordance. Luckily, Cyborg had equipped the tower with a series of generators, guaranteeing that the titans would be with power, should an alert come in. But no villain was dumb enough to venture into the storm, so the guarantee of WiFi and a working microwave was just as reassuring.

But Beast Boy hadn't the need for internet connection, nor was he in the mood for a snack. His mind was preoccupied with something much more important, though he couldn't find the words to explain what it was, exactly. All he knew was that he had woken up on that rainy morning - in somebody else's bed.

_Raven's _bed, specifically.

Now, don't go thinking anything _impolite_; he was fully clothed... in his pajamas... which consisted of a pair of faded purple basketball shorts... and one sock. But he was dressed, nonetheless. Emphasis on the _less, _but that was beside the point.

No, his outfit of choice was not the problem (though a shirt of any kind wouldn't have hurt), and he only spent three seconds contemplating on his wardrobe, before the complete and utter terror set in.

Who knew _Raven_ was a cuddler?

_Sure_, the empath had many quirks - like the way she'd nervously mess with her hair, or tap her nails against the arm of the sofa, or chew on her bottom lip. And _sure_, Beast Boy may have found all those things to be incredibly cute, but Raven - a _cuddler_? That was downright _adorable. _

And terrifying.

He couldn't remember how he had managed to get himself in this position, but what a position it was. His pale, petite teammate was curled against his side, with her arms wrapped around his torso and her head resting on his shoulder. Her legs had claimed his as one of their own, and were delicately tangled together. Her breath tickled his bare chest, and he wasn't sure whether to sigh in contentment or scream in horror.

Escaping without waking her up was impossible, as was making a run for it. He had no other choice but to listen to the rain and await his impending death.

A gasp of shock slipped through his lips as a tired sigh flitted through hers, and he tried not to tense as she snuggled even closer to him. He caught the scent of her shampoo as her hair brushed against his jaw, sending a pleasant shiver down his spine. Her breathing remained even, and he managed to calm himself down enough to where the rise and fall of his chest synced up perfectly with hers.

Slipping into a false sense of security, Beast Boy attempted to recall any memories from the night before. The presence of his pants and Raven's shirt confirmed that their innocence was still intact, though the lingering smell of alcohol on their breath wasn't very reassuring. The changeling happened to be a very talkative drunk, while his usually-stoic teammate became a bit bubbly when presented with the bubbly.

Images of the Mayor's son's wedding flashed through Beast Boy's mind, as well as sloppy dancing and slurred words. He also remembered returning to the tower and stumbling towards his _own _room, where he proceeded to change out of his mandatory tux and into something a little more comfortable. But it seemed his feet had taken him to the wrong bed.

Closing his eyes in frustration, the blackness behind his lids reluctantly ushered him further down memory lane - or, more specifically, down the _hall. _

Raven's room was conveniently placed beside his, though their doors weren't located in the same hall. And yet he had somehow managed to navigate through the dark corridors and into her domain - where she had somehow agreed to letting him in.

The sound of a girly, yet refined giggle echoed through his mind, along with shuffling feet and stuttering confessions, giving Beast Boy the feeling that he may have admitted something _very _personal to his teammate the night before. But judging by his current duty of being a superhero-sized body pillow, his confession was well-received.

But this didn't fill him with joy, like he thought it would. Instead, he felt a little... underwhelmed at the apparent execution of his confession. He had been crushing on the girl beside him for well over eight years, but he had never found the courage to admit his feelings. Though he did have a plethora of excuses. Whether it was due to her short-lived relationship with Aqualad, or his own meaningless flings with a few civilians, he would claim that the timing was never right. And even when they spent the majority of their late-teens single, he still would find any reason _not_ to tell her that he was madly in love with her.

In all honesty, Beast Boy figured it was a lost cause. Raven was an _empath_, for crying out loud. She was probably fully aware of his feelings, and the fact that she never made a move was proof enough that she didn't feel the same.

But then _why _was he waking up in her bed this morning?

He closed his eyes tighter as he searched through his mangled memories. A few flashes of her smile hidden behind a flute of champagne flickered through his brain, before the image of that same smile hidden behind her blanket came into view. It seemed that he had started his quest at the reception, and followed through all night. And though it was definitely _not _how he had imagined it, the fact that he had repeatedly gotten her to smile like that lessened his disappointment. Even if they were both hammered.

But at that thought, Beast Boy's eyes popped open. _Had Raven just been drunk?_

Was his confession all for nothing?

Stealing a quick glance at his bed mate, Beast Boy felt the dread consume him slowly as his eyes traced along the gentle bridge of her nose. Raven hated drinking, but she hated having to be social even more, so her accepting a few drinks to loosen up wasn't unheard of. But the changeling still considered a buzzed Raven to be a rare sight, let alone a _drunk _one. And judging by the sharp smell of alcohol still floating around the room, both of them had taken the liberty of drinking for the entirety of the wedding party.

Meaning if Raven _didn't _kill Beast Boy when she awoke, Robin would.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he attempted to focus on anything but the beautiful woman lying against him. Instead, he idly listened to the rain, letting the repetitive sound lull him back to sleep. Maybe if Raven believed she was the first to wake up and discover their current position, she'd be less inclined to murder him. Or maybe she'd do the humane thing and kill him in his sleep. Either option seemed much more appealing than waking her himself, and with that reasoning, he made up his mind.

Beast Boy's breathing became more relaxed as he slipped further towards unconsciousness, and he absently pulled his teammate closer, earning a hum of approval as she nuzzled into him. Chancing a small smile, he decided to throw caution to the wind as he placed a gentle kiss atop her head.

"I love you, Rae," he mumbled into her hair tiredly, letting his smile soften as the pitter-patter of the rain drowned out his confession.

As he expected, his declaration was met with silence, though he could have sworn he felt her smile against his chest. Regardless, he decided that he had said all he needed to say, and if she remembered any of it when she woke up, then his mission was complete.

And all it took was one too many glasses of champagne, and the reassuring sound of the rain outside.

At least, he was_ pretty _sure it had been raining.

* * *

Anybody else _looooove _the rain? Like, the sun is cool and all, but there's something about a rainy day that makes me want to curl up on my porch with a hot cup of tea and a good book and forget the world. It's just so relaxing, you know?

Anywhoo, I had totally planned on writing something else, but I went to the beach this weekend and it rained a little and it was so beautiful and it inspired me to write this little thingy lol. Plus, I wanted to write something that didn't rely on dialog, and I feel rainy days are best spent in silence lol. So here you guys go!

Leave a review? Or a suggestion? :)


	6. Champagne

**Champagne (Prequel to _Rain_)**

_The "calm before the storm" seems cliche enough to be a __description._

I wanna own the Teen Titans sooooo badly!

* * *

Weddings were a nightmare, in Raven's opinion. The gushing guests, the hassle of finding an acceptable present, the hour-long ceremonies - it really wasn't her thing. And not only was she expected to wear a dress and do her hair - she had to be "happy" for the "happy" couple on the "happiest" day of their lives. And Raven didn't do "happy."

The drawn-out production of uniting as one was always either too loud, too long, or too... _cheerful_, and she really couldn't care less. Marriage was something that little girls dreamed of, but would eventually grow out of - like wanting to be a princess, or getting a pony. It was the classic, clichéd, fair-tale complex that haunted many girls on earth. Luckily, Raven had lived in a different dimension for the majority of her life, so the only thing she "dreamed" of was not becoming the portal to end all life.

And that dream _kind of _came true.

But that was okay with her - sure, she did become the portal, but life hadn't ended. Obviously. Otherwise she wouldn't be leaning awkwardly against the wall of the Mayor's mansion's ballroom, dressed in a hideous pale pink gown, downing her third (_or was it fourth?_) - glass of champagne.

Snatching another flute from a passing server, she decided to end the evening on a high note - one that she would forget in the morning.

Her eyes scanned the room absently as she gulped down her drink, idly observing the crowd.

Starfire hadn't stopped gushing over the bride's dress since the start of the reception, leaving two disgruntled men awkwardly making small talk beside them. Sure, the bride (Raven didn't care to remember her name) looked gorgeous - but really, what bride _didn't_? Her dress was a simple A-line silhouette, in an off-white color and adorned with a few strips of lace-detailing around the torso. The spaghetti straps seemed a little odd to Raven, but she wasn't really an expert on what was fashionable, so she forgave the girl. But what she couldn't understand was how the bride could justify a bird-cage veil - had they traveled back in time to the 1920s?

Starfire, on the other hand, seemed to _adore_ the ensemble. Her squeals of delight could be heard from across the room, and Raven couldn't help but cringe at the shrill noise. She loved the alien to death, but she was fairly certain the girl's excitement would be the death of her.

As her gaze moved elsewhere, she caught sight of a suave-looking half-robot chatting up a pair of questionably dressed blondes. The girls seemed to have missed the memo that it was a black-tie event, for their less-than-appropriate dresses were a little too... well, they were really too _little_. But, hey - they undoubtedly had the figures for it, so who was Raven to judge. After all, if she had even half the confidence they possessed, she probably would have picked out a shorter, more form-fitting dress. _  
_

Not that her dress was totally prude-ish. It was only _mildly _prude-ish.

Starfire had somehow talked her into _pink_, which she was seriously regretting, but the dress itself was alright. It was long, loose, and comfortable. She was a little hesitant of the strapless aspect, but after seeing the abundance of spaghetti-strapped disasters, the style was now welcomed.

Finishing off the last of her drink, her eyes moved on from her Casanova of a teammate and more towards her supernova teammate.

Beast Boy, in all his green glory, was busy downing a few glasses of his own. Raven had been idly watching him for the past half an hour, and found it incredibly strange that he hadn't been socializing. Like, at _all_.

The changeling was usually the life of the party, and his apparent disinterest in being the center of attention was a little unsettling. Despite his earlier lack of maturity, Raven had found that her pest of a teammate had grown up a lot since their teens. His jokes were wittier, his voice was deeper, and - though she'd deny it, if asked - he had become quite handsome. _Really _handsome, actually.

But he was still _Beast Boy_, and Raven couldn't imagine seeing him as anything else. Or, rather, she didn't _want _to.

She had been aware of the crush he had developed on her, but it had been years ago, and she now had the mental discipline to block out others' emotions, so she wasn't sure if it had gone any further than that. And she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. But she figured it must have faded, for he had had his share of girlfriends over the past few years. And sure, none of them had lasted longer than a month or two, but the superhero life and civilian lifestyle didn't mix well.

And Raven hadn't been all too concerned with his love-life, anyway. It took a while, but she had eventually gotten over the Malchior incident, and ended up going on several dates with her fellow titan, Aqualad.

But, despite his handsome appearance and her apparent love for all things boring (_according to Beast Boy_), her and the Atlantean didn't work out. But it really wasn't the end of the world - he turned out to be a little _too _into fish, for her taste. It was rather creepy, if she were to be honest.

Shaking away those thoughts, Raven continued to watch her green teammate from afar as she debated getting another drink. Her demonic heritage kept her from getting _too _drunk, but she often drank herself to the point of being tipsy, and slightly more giggly.

As she continued to ponder over her dilemma, she realized with a start that the changeling had noticed her prolonged stare, and was giving her a quizzical look. She felt the color rise to her cheeks as she stared back, before doing something totally out of character for her.

She smiled.

It was a small, subdued, barely-there smile, but a smile nonetheless. And, naturally, Beast Boy smiled back.

Raven almost laughed aloud as she observed the dopey grin on her teammate's face, before he took the initiative to cross the room. As he neared her, he swiped two more flutes of champagne from off of a nearby tray, and the empath felt her smile widen.

Another drink seemed like a great idea.

* * *

Good judgement was a trait that Raven _knew_ she possessed. She was excellent at deciphering a good situation from a bad one, and always found herself traveling along the correct path. She was never one to _choose _to do something bad, and she had planned on keeping it that way.

But letting a slightly drunk Beast Boy into her room, where she was half-dressed and more than half as drunk, didn't seem like a _totally _bad idea. Besides, he was obviously sober enough to _find _her room, and she was obviously sober enough to crawl out of her bed and answer the door.

Stepping out of her doorway, she motioned with one hand for her teammate to come in, which he eagerly complied to. Feeling a giggle start in her throat, she hurriedly swallowed it back down as she slid the door shut and turned to face him.

His back was to her as he gazed around her room absently. She didn't expect him to enjoy the decor, but she, herself, was sure enjoying the view. Yeah, Beast Boy had _definitely _grown up.

He was no longer the lanky, short, _booger _that he had been during their teen years. No, he had to have grown almost a foot, and his slender frame was graced by his lean muscle, meaning his extra training sessions had obviously paid off.

Raven hadn't ever considered herself to be someone who held physical appearance highly, but she wasn't complaining as she watched her shirtless teammate stretch his arms over his head, causing the muscles in his back to flex beneath his green skin.

Had green always been such a beautiful color?

She was about to ponder on it further, but her teammate's sudden leap for her bed pulled her from her thoughts. She watched in amusement as the changeling landed face-first onto her dark blue comforter, before mumbling incoherently into the fabric.

"What was that?" Raven mused, fighting back a smirk as she slowly made her way to her bed. Sitting at the head of it, she pulled her legs from the floor and hugged her knees to her chest, arching her brow curiously.

Beast Boy lifted his head from the mattress, a cheeky smile adorning his face. He then proceeded to army-crawl towards her, bringing the rest of his body onto the bed as well.

"I said, I need to tell you something," he repeated with a grin.

Raven held back a smirk as she regarded her teammate carefully. He was fairly intoxicated - that was for sure - but not to a point that warranted concern. It was just an average amount of drunk - the details would probably be fuzzy in the morning, but she doubted he'd forget what he was about to tell her. And with that reasoning, she didn't see a need to stop him from going through with it.

"Tell me what?"

Beast Boy gifted her with an exaggerated eye-roll, before his hands latched onto her ankles and pulled her legs out before her.

She had half a mind to stop him, since she happened to be wearing a pair of extremely short shorts, but by the time she made her decision, her legs were already stretched out in front of her, and he was now reaching for her hands. Granted, it took him a while to wiggle close enough to reach them, but he soon grasped them in his own.

"A secret, _obviously_," he whispered, staring up at her with wide, mischievous eyes.

"_Obviously_," Raven mimicked, allowing her smirk to surface.

Her teammate jutted his lower lip out playfully, silently asking for an apology. Raven merely responded with a pointed look, and the changeling reluctantly gave up.

"Yes, a _secret_," he continued, letting go of one of her hands as he brought himself to a sitting position.

Raven tried not to let her eyes wander as the green titan put his torso on full display. She had always tried to ignore her attraction to him, but his total disregard for modesty, as well as his close proximity, was making it a hell of a lot harder.

Instead, Raven directed her sights to their joined hands, and again asked herself why she was letting the shape-shifter get away with so much. She wanted to use "being drunk" as an excuse for both of them, but deep down she knew a part of her was loving the attention. A part of her she liked to ignore.

"And I'm _pretty_ sure you can keep a secret," Beast Boy slurred, leaning in a little too close for comfort.

Raven attempted to put a little distance between them, but she was already propped up against her headboard, and if she scooted away any further, she'd fall off the bed.

"Personal space, Beast Boy," she reminded dryly, hoping that even in his intoxicated state, he'd remember that she was still to be feared. She watched in amusement as he retracted ever so slowly, a sheepish smile spreading across his lips.

"Right," he laughed, shaking his head absently, before peeking up at her cheekily. "Personal space."

Raven attempted to swallow down a lump in her throat as their gazes locked. She had been adamant on maintaining her friendship with the green titan, even after discovering his crush on her years ago, but she had always told herself that she didn't feel the same way. That she _couldn't_. She could never risk losing him - she valued his company far too much. She _craved _it, really. He was like her anchor; her rock. A gentle reminder that she wasn't a monster, and that it was possible for somebody to like her. Or maybe even lo-

"I know _all _about 'personal' things," Beast Boy mused randomly, yanking Raven from her thoughts. "And I got something _real _personal that I want to tell you."

She didn't like where this was heading, but she couldn't find the sense to kick him out and pretend none of this had happened. It was like her mind was screaming for her to stop him, but the rest of her was waiting with bated breath. Her mouth refused to speak, her eyes refused to look away, and her body was frozen in anticipation as her teammate gathered his thoughts.

"I've been feeling like this for... _a while_," Beast Boy began tentatively, his eyes seemingly searching hers for permission to go on, "and I figured that I needed to get it all out in the open, 'cuz we're like, _superheroes_, you know? Like, we could _die _at any moment, and I don't want to miss the chance to tell you this."

Raven opened her mouth to interrupt him, but he gently laid a finger against her lips with his free hand.

"Nuh uh, Rae!" he scolded playfully, his usual goofy demeanor surfacing momentarily. "I need to finish."

Again, Raven found herself giving up, and reluctantly letting him continue.

"It's just... I mean, you know I care about you, right?"

Raven nodded her head timidly, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks as the changeling's finger remained pressed against her lips.

"And you know I would never, ever, _ever ever ever _hurt you, right?"

Again, the empath nodded, feeling a strange mixture of anxiety and excitement stir in her stomach.

"And I hope you feel the same about me, and would never hurt me, either," he admitted, his eyes breaking away from hers briefly.

"O-of course I do," Raven mumbled shyly against his finger, "and I-I would _never _hurt you, Beast Boy."

A small smile passed over her teammate's lips as their gazes locked once more, and Raven couldn't stop a small giggle from slipping out. Beast Boy's eyes widened in surprise at the noise, before a chuckle of his own passed his lips.

"What's so funny?" he grinned, finally removing his hand as he gave her a bewildered look.

Raven shrugged her shoulders tentatively, too embarrassed to admit that the giggle was completely involuntary. She knew that nobody would peg her as a nervous giggler, but she had heard the wretched noise slip past her lips several times in the past - and Beast Boy had always seemed to be involved.

But as quickly as the lighthearted moment had come, it soon vanished, leaving a beyond awkward silence to settle between them. Raven lost her voice once more, and couldn't bring herself to break away from his gaze. Something about the pure emotion stirring in his eyes kept her completely captivated. The green of his irises swirled in the most intoxicating way, and Raven realized she was no longer just drunk from the alcohol, but from the emotions pouring off the both of them. If she were sober, she would have no trouble recognizing the feelings, but her current state was putting her at a disadvantage. She idly wondered if she could persuade him to wait until the morning, when her mind wasn't so fuzzy and her stomach would stop fluttering.

But as soon as she found the nerve to open her mouth, Beast Boy's voice rang out.

"I'm in love with you, Raven."

Even though his confession had barely been louder than a whisper, Raven felt as if her eardrums had burst. Her stomach had somehow found its way into her throat, while her eyes grew bigger than what she thought possible. Her mouth remained open, though she knew it was due to her jaw dropping in shock.

Beast Boy seemed to be just as surprised by his words as she was, because he was staring at her like he had never seen her before. His eyes were wider than hers, and his own jaw hung limply from its hinges. She had never seen him blush so deeply, though she was sure that she was giving him a run for his money as she felt the heat in her own face.

But who could really blame her? His confession was... _completely _unexpected. She already _knew _he had liked her. She already _knew _he cared about her deeply. But... _love?_

He _loved _her? As in, he was _in love _with her?

She had _never _expected that.

"W-what?" she breathed, breaking the prolonged silence between them. Sure, the thought of him _loving _her had crossed her mind, repeatedly, but she had always thought of it as a pipe-dream. A fantasy. Something sweet to think about when she was feeling down in the dumps. An ego-booster, as awful as it sounded.

But she never _wanted _him to love her - not if she couldn't feel the same. She couldn't stand to hurt him - he was basically her everything.

"You heard me," Beast Boy mumbled, again releasing Raven from her thoughts.

She continued to stare at him, her mind slowly wrapping around his confession. So he loved her - that was okay. It was out in the open, and now they just had to figure everything out. And naturally, his confession had come with a lot of questions Raven had to ask herself, but she didn't need to figure it all out at that very moment. It could all wait until the morning - well, at least, all but one.

Raven let out a flustered sigh as she broke their gaze. She knew the silent question they both were asking her, and she knew the answer to it, as well. It was just the effort of saying it out loud that suddenly seemed too difficult. If only she could hide behind her "powers" excuse, but they both knew she had basically mastered control over her emotions.

She now knew _exactly _what she was feeling, and feeling it no longer had any consequences. She could feel freely, and freely admit how she felt. She was free. And it felt good; almost as good as it felt to be loved. And almost as good as it felt to love someone back. Which was something, she realized with a small smile, that she felt.

Locking their gazes once more, she felt her smile grow as she observed the increasingly-desperate expression on her teammate's face. She could tell he was holding his breath as he waited for her answer to his unasked question, and - though it would be hilarious - she didn't want him passing out. Unless, of course, it was from pure happiness.

After all, she was fairly certain she was about to give the right answer.

"I'm in love with you, too, Beast Boy."

* * *

Dudessss! This was like the longest chapter/oneshot thingy I have ever written! Lol

Hopefully it didn't seem too drawn out - I hadn't meant for it to get so long! And hopefully you all enjoyed it!

And I know these are all only slightly related, but a couple of you wanted Raven's reaction to BB's confession, but rather than have her wake up all tangled with him, I decided to write up the reason they got tangled! I hope this will do?

Anywhoo, leave a review? That'd be awesome! Lol


	7. Rain (Part Two)

**Rain (Part 2)**

_Raven knows that nothing can ever be perfect, but she wouldn't want it any other way._

[Insert redundant disclaimer here]

* * *

Raven had never been so comfortable as she slowly drifted in and out of sleep, idly listening to the soothing sound of the rain against her window. Her bed was soft, her blankets were silky, and her pillow was incredibly warm. But it was also moving.

She knew what, or rather, _who _her pillow was, and though her judgement was no longer clouded by the previous night's beverage of choice, she wasn't embarrassed, or appalled, or anything of the like. She was happy. Pleased. Blissful, even.

She had told herself countless times before that Beast Boy was nothing more than a friend - but that was a lie. She _knew _that he was so much more than her teammate; her comrade. He was the person who made her smile and laugh, even after she claimed she couldn't. He was the person who could get her to open up, even though she vowed to guard her secrets. He was the person who taught her so much, even when she acted as if he knew nothing. And he was the person who proved she could love, and _be _loved, despite everyone saying it was impossible.

But he was also the person who couldn't, for the life of him, stay still for longer than a few minutes.

Raven had no idea what he was doing, but it caused her head to jostle as he wiggled around. She had felt him stir earlier, but she was hoping he would have fallen back asleep by now. Though she was happy to learn that he loved her, she was a little hesitant at facing him. It would undoubtedly be awkward for a good portion of the morning, and she'd rather sleep until they _had _to get up.

But Beast Boy had a knack for ruining her plans as he shifted once more.

"Can you stop?" Raven growled, tightening her hold on him as she burrowed closer. She could feel him stiffen at the sound of her voice, before his wiggling continued.

"Sorry..." he replied sheepishly, though he made no effort to stop.

Giving up on falling back asleep, Raven lifted her head from his shoulder and stared into his eyes. They were bright with apprehension and pure innocence, and she suddenly found it a tad bit harder to be upset with him. But she really valued her sleep, so the anger didn't completely dissipate.

"What are you even doing?" she questioned, slowly releasing his torso.

He shifted a bit more, obviously hesitant to answer her question. But Raven was patient; she was in _love_, after all. It was such a new, wonderful feeling to proclaim. It made her feel a little lighter. It made the rain seem a little less gloomy, and the sun shine a little bit brighter. It was an amazing feeling; one that she wouldn't trade for the -

"Uhm," he began, ripping her from her thoughts and reminding her that the guy making her feel so wonderful was also the guy disrupting her sleep.

"_What?_" she groaned, giving him a pointed look as she sat up. She watched as his gaze idly traced along her frame, before a blush appeared on his face as his eyes darted away. He slowly sat up as well, and Raven caught herself giving him an appreciative look of her own.

"I have to pee."

But the appreciation disappeared rapidly, and Raven felt her glare only intensify as her green teammate gave her a sheepish smile.

They both continued to sit there in silence a minute longer, before the empath motioned with her hand towards the door. "Then what are you waiting for? Go!"

Beast Boy flinched at her tone, before pulling himself out of her bed and racing towards the door. Once he reached it, though, he spun back around, giving his teammate a confused look.

"Do I - er, I m-mean, _c-can _I come back?" he asked hesitantly.

Raven almost smiled as she pretended to seriously consider his question, before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, Beast Boy. You can come back."

The changeling gave her his signature toothy grin, before pressing the button to open her door and exiting the room. Raven was about to look away, but the sight of him throwing himself back into her doorway to stop the door from closing caught her attention. Giving him a confused look of her own, she cocked her head to the side.

"What?"

He let out a nervous chuckle, one hand rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly as the other held the door in place.

"Uhm, with or _w-without_ my shirt?"

Raven immediately felt her face heat up and her jaw drop. It seemed as though her teammate was intent on pushing his luck. Luck that he was starting to run out of.

Regardless, she quickly regained her composure, before shooting him a fierce glare.

"_Without_," she replied dryly.

Another smile almost broke through as she observed his dumbfounded expression, and she almost even giggled as the boy's mouth opened and closed rapidly, before her words seemed to have finally registered. Nodding his head awkwardly, Beast Boy quickly backed out of the doorway and raced away, allowing Raven's smile to surface as her door hissed shut.

* * *

This was hella short. Seriously - it's like the shortest chapter/oneshot I've ever done lol. But I hope it was entertaining, as well as satisfying as a little end to the "Rain" saga. Even though they didn't have a proper kiss or anything, but I have plenty of other little oneshots bopping along in my head, so I hope you guys aren't _too _disappointed lol.

Review? God knows how much I love them! Oh, and suggestions are most definitely welcomed! :)


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